Love Ballad of the Tyrant King

Chapter 10: Woobin, Recalls the Past

The unexpected feast had the escort martial artists in high spirits.

Lee Jaseung had given his subordinates an order for the day, which was to suspend all their duties and enjoy themselves to the fullest.

The martial artists, always on edge and alert during missions, felt a rare sense of excitement.

On top of that, Mujin brought along a dozen women from who knows where. Dan Woobin walked over to him and whispered.

“Why did you bring courtesans here?”

“They aren’t courtesans.”

“Huh?”

Shockingly, Mujin had lured women passing by on the street to come and join the party. Dan Woobin looked at them closer, and they were all women of Jianghu, some were even armed.

“It’s a tongue sent from heaven.”

Mujin spoke as he chuckled.

“If the heavens were a woman, I bet I could talk her down too.”

For a moment, Dan Woobin seriously believed he could.

Dan Woobin spoke while gazing at the women.

“What are you thinking, bring them to a place packed with men like this?”

“You know, just to spend time with them. Don’t think too deeply about it. Not everyone lives so complicated like you.”

“Still! To come here without a care is-!”

“Ah! So this is the extent of your understanding of women, dear strategist? If we ever fight a sect full of women, we’re doomed.”

Other martial artists started to laugh after hearing Mujin’s joke. Despite having a sharp mind, Dan Woobin wasn’t very knowledgeable when it came to women.

Either way, the drinking party heated up more with women around.

Of course, Mujin was the most popular man. He freely gave advice to these women.

To grow their hair longer, wear brighter clothing, change the color of their sword scabbards… He even nitpicked their appearances, but the ladies only enjoyed it more.

One of the older men of the group, Ju Dal tried commenting on a woman’s attire, but he was met with icy glares.

Everyone felt it. The popular guys could insult them all they want, but the others can’t.

Today, Dan Woobin was one of the popular guys.

Despite his stiff and conservative views on women, they found his shy and boyish appearance cute.

When they heard that he was devoted to one woman, they admired him more, saying men like him were rare these days.

Mujin fed Dan Woobin a ton of drinks, determined to corrupt him tonight. Dan Woobin refused at first, but he soon got swept up in the mood and became drunk.

However, Mujin also protected him when he passed out. One woman tried to drag the half-unconscious Dan Woobin away, and Mujin blocked her path.

“Not him. Didn’t you hear earlier? He has someone he loves.”

The woman complained back, but Mujin whispered something into her ear. Her face went pale and she fled.

One of the martial artists next to them asked.

“What did you say to her? Did you perhaps curse at her?”

“Hey, I’d never curse at a woman. I was born to love them.”

“Then what did you say that made her run away like that?”

Mujin spoke with a grin.

“I told her that Woobin’s girlfriend is the Black Rakshasa.”

“Hahaha!”

The Black Rakshasa was notorious in the world for being cruel and ruthless.

Even children would stop crying if they were told that the Black Rakshasa was coming. Her reputation was terrifying. It was obvious for the woman to run off without looking back.

“Anyway, where is the Lord?”

“He went out earlier for some fresh air.”

Mujin glanced out the window. His eyes deepened as he looked up at the bright moon.

“It’s perfect for a night walk.”

At that very moment, Lee Jaseung was walking under the moonlight.

A good leader must have good instincts.

Believing his subordinates feeling honored and happy to be with him until late was a foolish thing to do. Leaving at the right time was better for them.

Then, a commotion erupted up ahead. A man and a woman were shouting at each other, and others around them watched.

They were breaking up.

The woman was screaming, while the man stood silently listening to her.

Did he cheat on her?

Lee Jaseung stopped and watched with the others.

Just then, a carriage stopped beside him.

He glanced sideways, and he saw a woman wearing a veil behind the lowered curtain.

Lee Jaseung turned back to the front.

This time, the woman inside turned her head. After glancing at Lee Jaseung for a moment, she turned forward.

Neither of them recognized each other, but they had met before.

It was none other than Baek Seolyoung.

The woman that was fighting, shouted in sorrow.

“How could you do this to me?”

Lee Jaseung smirked slightly after hearing her question.

It was a very foolish thing to say.

Someone who’s going to leave will leave no matter how tightly you cling, and someone meant to stay will stay even if pushed away.

How could he do such a thing? Because she met someone who could. This issue wasn’t the matter of ‘how’, but ‘who’ instead.

Unlike Lee Jaseung, Baek Seolyoung agreed with the woman.

Yes, how could he do such a thing?

Another thought naturally followed.

It was the anger she felt toward all those who had turned away from her. Those who betrayed her father, who treated them like family and a friend. But it didn’t lead to despair or sorrow.

‘Fine, I understand it. I understand it all. But you’ll have to understand too, when my revenge carves out your hearts.’

At that moment, the man on the horse shouted after waiting, hoping that they would move aside on their own.

“Move aside.”

Both the fighting couple and the others backed away in shock.

The carriage passed, and so did Lee Jaseung. He heard people cursing from behind him.

Lee Jaseung looked up at the night sky.

Love?

Sure, love is good. But being alone is just as good.

Walking alone, thinking alone.

…Living alone.

***

Three days later, three men stood before the Shaanxi Alliance. They were none other than Lee Jaseung, Dan Woobin, and Mujin. As well as Mook Young who wasn’t visible to others.

The rest of their subordinates had been ordered to remain nearby on standby.

This was a rare occasion where Lee Jaseung, Mujin, and Mook Young worked together. Since they were the top three ranks of their Alliance, they had nothing to worry about.

“Where do you come from?”

Dan Woobin looked confused after hearing an old servant’s question, but then he calmly answered.

“From the Alliance.”

“Please wait a moment. I will send a word inside.”

Dan Woobin shook his head as he saw the old servant walking inside.

“We already sent word in advance.”

It was obvious that they were trying to assert dominance by treating them with disregard from the beginning.

“I’m sorry.”

Lee Jaseung brushed off Dan Woobin’s apology.

“It’s not something you should be sorry for.”

Unlike Woobin, Mujin was in a good mood, smiling brightly. It only irritated Dan Woobin more.

“What are you so happy about?”

“Reminded of the good old times.”

“Old times?”

“Don’t you remember? The three of us went to meet Young-gi.”

“Ah!”

Dan Woobin’s expression froze for a moment.

He recalled the past. Mujin was referring to the Captain of the Iron Cavalry, Ma Young-gi.

Among the four people Lee Jaseung trusted the most, Ma Young-gi was the last one to be recruited.

Back then, the three of them had visited Ma Young-gi together like this. However, they had to visit three times as he was always away.

Dan Woobin pouted and spoke.

“It’s nothing that special.”

Dan Woobin wasn’t fond of Ma Young-gi as Lee Jaseung was made to visit him three times.

As the chief strategist of the Black Way Alliance, Dan Woobin believed he should have been the one Lee Jaseung visited three times.

Just like how Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang thrice, it would’ve made a better story if Lee Jaseung did the same for him.

Though he knew Ma Young-gi didn’t avoid them on purpose, they ultimately visited him three times, which annoyed Dan Woobin.

This created one result.

While Mujin was a friend, Ma Young-gi strictly remained as an associate.

Dan Woobin shouted again, seeing Mujin’s smile.

“What? Say it! Say I’m being petty again!”

“I didn’t say a word.”

Unlike Ma Young-gi, his first meeting with Lee Jaseung was…

‘Damn it!’

Dan Woobin was reminded of that day, nine years ago.

“Kwahaha! What’s this idiot doing, trying to fight me?”

Dan Woobin was lying on the ground.

“Hey, brat! Go back to writing poems at your academy! How dare you get ink on me.”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The man ruthlessly stomping on him was in his early twenties. He had beady eyes, protruding cheekbones, and a wicked grin, the perfect look of a back-alley thug.

Dan Woobin’s body was bruised and his face was swollen, yet he clung to the man’s leg.

“No, not her!”

“You bastard! Are you her husband or something? Let go!”

“Please! I beg you, not her!”

Dan Woobin bit into the man’s shin.

“Agh! Are you crazy?”

Thud! Thud!

The man kicked Dan Woobin even harder than before.

“You crazy bastard, die then!”

Despite the beating, Dan Woobin refused to let go for one reason. A woman was lying nearby. It was Song-hwa, the woman he loved.

The man had been ordered to kidnap her. The order came from a leader of a notorious local Black Society, who happened to spot her while passing by on the street.

Dan Woobin eventually became limp after the man’s beating. After spitting on him, the man picked up Song-hwa and walked away.

“...No, please.”

Tears streamed out from Dan Woobin’s eyes. He was angry at himself. He should have trained in martial arts instead of studying books.

He wanted to change the world through his knowledge, but he couldn’t even win against a single thug, so what value did reading have in this world?

Just then, someone walked past Dan Woobin. Barely conscious, he cried out.

“...Help me, please help me!”

But the man continued to walk away, ignoring him.

Dan Woobin noticed a dagger on the man’s waist. Its hit carved with a fierce face of a demon looked as if it was mocking him.

He tried to get up, but he couldn’t move a finger.

Dan Woobin screamed with desperation.

“...Help me dammit! You damned bastards of Jianghu, stop using your blades as cool decorations and please help me!”

Dan Woobin screamed with all his might. At this rate, Song-hwa would be lost to that leader of the Black Society. Even if it cost his life, Dan Woobin wanted to save her.

The sky was clearer than usual today.

“Hahaha, what is this? What kind of world is this!?”

Tears of resentment to the world continued to stream down his face.

Then, someone suddenly leaned into his view.

It was the same man who had walked past earlier. He stood over Dan Woobin, silently staring down.

Dan Woobin’s heart froze the moment his eyes met with the man’s. He felt an indescribable terror.

The man had eyes that revealed nothing, and deep like a void.

It was fear far greater than the one he felt from the thug earlier. This man was Lee Jaseung.

Lee Jaseung asked with a calm voice.

“What will you do for me if I help you?”

“Anything.”

Mujin was the one who blurted out the answer in the present. This was Mujin’s favorite story to use to tease Dan Woobin with.

Dan Woobin muttered quietly.

“Don’t. You better not.”

But the highlight of this story was what Dan Woobin said after. Mujin spoke while imitating his voice.

“I’ll even offer you my soul.”

“Hey! I told you to stop!”

“Wow, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Selling your soul? Agh! So cringe!”

“You bastard!”

Dan Woobin threw a punch with a red face, there was no way that Mujin was going to get hit by it.

“Please, take my soul!”

“Stop it! You dumb bastard that only knows how to wield a sword!”

Mujin spoke as he laughed out loud.

“Woah! Now you are being rude to our Lord?”

Dan Woobin became more flustered and shouted.

“I’m saying it to you, dumbass! Not our Lord!”

Lee Jaseung smiled watching them. He liked that Dan Woobin always expressed his emotions so openly.

Dan Woobin was a brilliant person. He had one of the sharpest minds in the world.

Someone like him playing political games or hiding his feelings? He would become exhausting to deal with.

But Dan Woobin never hid his feelings, at least not in front of Lee Jaseung.

Whether by intention or not, Lee Jaseung was thankful for it.

Dan Woobin was a genius, and Mujin played a key role in drawing out his emotions. Their friendship was Lee Jaseung’s greatest asset.

Just then, several people approached. Dan Woobin and Mujin shifted from joking to deadly serious as if they were never joking around to begin with.

A middle-aged man greeted them with a formal bow, gathering his fists.

“Welcome. I apologize for the delay, I hope you can forgive us. I am Wang Chan, the Vice Lord of the Shaanxi Alliance.”

Dan Woobin became annoyed, knowing that he was ranked second.

‘My Lord traveled all the way here, but only the Vice Lord greets us?’

But Dan Woobin hid his irritation behind a smile.

“A pleasure to meet you, Vice Lord.”

Wang Chang led them to the rear garden.

Two men were waiting there. The man reclining casually was none other than Hwang Giyoung, the oldest of the Four Heroes of Shaanxi.

Next to him, stood a man wearing a bamboo hat, like a bodyguard.

Hwang Giyoung spoke, still in a casual posture.

“Wlecome. I couldn’t greet you out there as I’m unwell. I hope you understand.”

Dan Woobin saw it at that moment. There was a cold smirk on Lee Jaseung’s face.

‘This isn’t good, not good at all.’

Dan Woobin’s heart pounded nervously, fearing that Lee Jaseung might wipe them out right here.

‘Please, let’s resolve this peacefully!’